Study on gene expression profile of subclonal cell lines in two different anchorage-independent uterine cervical carcinoma

Objective: To examine the differently expressed invasion-related genes in two anchorage-independent uterine cervical carcinoma cell lines derived from the same patient using a cDNA array. Methods: Two human uterine cervical carcinoma subclonal cell lines CS03 and CS07 derived from a single donor line CS1213 were established by limited diluting procedure and their cloning efficiency was counted in soft agar. The expression of cellular adhesive molecules CD44, E-cadherin and Fibronetin were studied by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. The two cDNA samples retro-transcribed from total RNA derived from CS03 and CS07 cells were screened by a cDNA microarray carrying 1011 human signal transduction and membrane receptor-associated genes and scanned with a ScanArray 3000 laser scanner. Results: The cloning efficiency was 38.5% in CS07 cells and 0 in CS03 cells, respectively. CD44 were 35.1% and 13.7% in CS03 and CS07, respectively. The cDNA microarray analysis showed that 12 genes in CS03 were upregulated compared with CS07, and 21 genes in CS07 were upregulated. The function of a number of differently expressed genes is consistently associated with cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, signal transduction and tumor metastasis, including p34^cdc2, TSC22, plasminogen activator inhibitor I (PAI-1) and desmosome associated protein (Pinin). Conclusion: Multiple genes are differently expressed in uterine cervical carcinoma cell lines even in the same patient. It is suggested that these genes are involved with the phenotypic characteristics and development of cervical carcinoma.